As they approached the group, the shorter of the two black dominoes spoke.
'You need not trouble to introduce Captain Rallywood, Anthony. We are already friends; are we not, Monsieur?'
The sweet high voice and the inconsequent childish laugh came upon Rallywood with a slight shock.
'I could hardly have dared to claim so much,' he said; 'but I cannot forget that Madame de Sagan—'
She laid her hand with a suspicion of caressing familiarity on his arm.
'Hush, then! Do you not know that it is inadmissible to mention the name of a masked lady until the clock strikes midnight? Captain Rallywood has been stationed near the Castle at Kofn Ford; we have therefore met—occasionally,' continued the lady, addressing herself to Mademoiselle Selpdorf.
'Captain Rallywood is luckier than most of us,' interposed another voice. 'He seems to have an enviable facility for appearing where we others in vain wish to be. Only last week——'
A tall Mephistopheles in scarlet silk, whose high shoulders lent him added height, had joined them. His peaked cap and feather sparkled with lurid points of fire. Countess Sagan turned upon him.
'But, Baron, where is then your domino? It is not yet midnight,' she exclaimed, her hand still remaining on Rallywood's arm.
'Listen!' von Elmur raised his hand. 'The happy moment arrives when the beautiful faces we long to see——' He gave the rest of the sentence to the ear of Mademoiselle Selpdorf, who stood silently looking on at the little scene.